1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of machine control. More specifically, the present invention is related to a system and method for voice actuation, with contextual learning, for intelligent machine control.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Much prior art work has been devoted to developing graphical user interface (GUI) tools for machine control. FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art scenario wherein users utilize a computer 102, with display capabilities, to monitor a programmable device 104. Computer 102 communicates with the device 104 via a communication link 106. In most prior art systems, a GUI is displayed on computer 102 via which users control the functionality of programmable device 104. Users are able to manipulate the GUI by entering commands (via a keyboard) or by clicking on an appropriate area of the GUI (using a mouse).
One of the problems associated with such a setup is that in most industrial programmable devices, a process has to be repeated more than once and it becomes tiring on the part of the operator to repeat a sequence of commands. In addition to being tiring, in the case of testing, some tests require the operator to handle or manipulate the sample in some fashion during the test. For example, some types of peel test require the operator to make slices in the sample during testing. Therefore, it would be beneficial to have an easy-to-use interactive voice actuated control system with an enhanced GUI interface for intelligent machine control.
The following references describe prior art in the filed of voice activated control of devices, but none provide for voice activated control of a testing machine using a statistical prediction algorithm. Furthermore, none of the prior art provide for reliable machine operation via a system receiving voice inputs and providing intelligent help for operation of the machine. Additionally, none of the prior art described below provides for a filter for validating commands before executing them in a machine. The prior art described below is similar to the system described in FIG. 1.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,843 discloses an apparatus wherein an operator controls specific operations of apparel manufacture equipment through verbal commands recognized by the equipment as distinct from other sounds in the environment and of the equipment. The speech recognition computer also preferably maintains the capability to recognize words or commands.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,080 discusses an apparatus for controlling a computer-controlled system, such as a computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine tool, in accordance with voice commands spoken by a human operator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,357 describes an industrial playback robot, which comprises speech discriminating means for discriminating the kind of teaching datum from a speech input, and the teaching datum is stored into a memory means as a teaching datum. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,157 provides for an improved speech recognition device for controlling a machine.
It should however be noted that none of the prior art references mentioned above provide for encompassing voice and context in a testing machine. Furthermore, none of the references mentioned above provide for a statistical algorithm that predicts most likely actions of users. Whatever the precise merits, features and advantages of the above cited references, none of them achieve or fulfills the purposes of the present invention.